Electronic device and method for providing messenger service in the electronic device

Abstract

An electronic device and a method providing a messenger service in the electronic device are provided. The electronic device includes a display configured to display a timeline bar in a dialogue window of a messenger application, the timeline bar including a plurality of time points, each time point associated with archived messages, and a controller configured to receive a selection of one of the time points and retrieve the archived messages associated with the selected one of the time points, and display the retrieved archived messages.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electronic device comprising:
 a display configured to: display a timeline bar in a dialogue window of a messenger application, the timeline bar including a plurality of time points, each time point associated with archived messages; and   a controller configured to:   receive a selection of one of the time points and retrieve the archived messages associated with the selected one of the time points, and   display the retrieved archived messages in the display.   
     
     
         2 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , further comprising a communication unit configured to receive the archived messages associated with the selected one of the time points from an external server. 
     
     
         3 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the timeline bar represents time points in units including at least one of:
 an hour, day, week, month, and year.   
     
     
         4 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the timeline bar is displayed in a portion of the dialogue window including least one of an upper portion, a lower portion, a left portion, and a right portion. 
     
     
         5 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 in response to a number of the plurality of time points being equal to or smaller than a predetermined number indicating a maximum number of time points displayable on the display, displaying the plurality of time points on the timeline bar.   
     
     
         6 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 in response to a number of the plurality of time points being larger than a predetermined number indicating a maximum number of time points displayable on the display, displaying the plurality of time points at intervals according to a quotient generated by dividing the number by the predetermined number.   
     
     
         7 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein each time point associated with archived messages is displayed distinguishably from other time points that are not associated with archived messages. 
     
     
         8 . The electronic device of  claim 7 , wherein each time point associated with archived messages is displayed distinguishably via a visual highlight. 
     
     
         9 . The electronic device of  claim 3 , wherein the timeline bar represents time points in units including at least two of the hour, day, week, month, and year, the timeline bar having a first bar associated with a first of the at least two of the hour, day, week, month, and year, and having a second bar associated with a second of the at least two of the hour, day, week, month, and year. 
     
     
         10 . The electronic device of  claim 9 , the controller further configured to:
 receive a first selection of the first of the at least two of the hour, day, week, month, and year from the first bar;   receive a second selection of the second of the at least two of the hour, day, week, month, and year from the second; and   detect the one of the time points based on the first selection and the second selection.   
     
     
         11 . A method for providing a messenger service in an electronic device, the method comprising:
 displaying, via a display, a timeline bar in a dialogue window of a messenger application, the timeline bar including a plurality of time points, each time point associated with archived messages; and   receiving, via a controller, a selection of one of the time points and retrieving the archived messages associated with the selected one of the time points, and   displaying the retrieved archived messages.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising receiving the archived messages associated with the selected one of the time points from an external server. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the timeline bar represents time points in units including at least one of:
 an hour, day, week, month, and year.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the timeline bar is displayed in a portion of the dialogue window including least one of an upper portion, a lower portion, a left portion, and a right portion. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 in response to a number of the plurality of time points being equal to or smaller than a predetermined number indicating a maximum number of time points displayable on the display, displaying the plurality of time points on the timeline bar.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 in response to a number of the plurality of time points being larger than a predetermined number indicating a maximum number of time points displayable on the display, displaying the plurality of time points at intervals according to a quotient generated by dividing the number by the predetermined number.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein each time point associated with archived messages is displayed distinguishably from other time points that are not associated with archived messages. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein each time point associated with archived messages is displayed distinguishably via a visual highlight. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the timeline bar represents time points in units including at least two of the hour, day, week, month, and year the timeline bar having a first bar associated with a first of the at least two of the hour, day, week, month, and year, and having a second bar associated with a second of the at least two of the hour, day, week, month, and year. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 receiving a first selection of the first of the at least two of the hour, day, week, month, and year from the first bar;   receiving a second selection of the second of the at least two of the hour, day, week, month, and year from the second; and   detecting the one of the time points based on the first selection and the second selection.